This invention relates to glassware handling systems for use with glassware forming machines and to methods of operating such systems.
In a typical glassware forming machine, parisons are formed from gobs of molten glass in a parison mould at a blank station of the machine, the parisons being transferred from the blank station to a blow station at which a blow mould is located, the parisons whilst in the blow mould being blown into the final shape of the desired article of glassware. The formed articles of glassware are then moved from the blow mould to a deadplate for cooling, after which the articles are conveyed to a lehr mat on which they stand whilst annealing takes place.
British patent specification No. 1,491,859 discloses a glassware forming machine having three stations, namely a blank station at which the parisons are formed, an intermediate station at which the parisons are further formed and a blow station at which the parisons are blown into their final shape. Specification No. 1,491,859 explains that the provision of an intermediate station enables glassware to be produced at a higher rate than is possible with a two station machine of the form disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,911,119. If full advantage is to be taken of this higher production rate, the articles of glassware must be transferred from the blow station to the lehr mat at a similar higher rate.